Get to Know Bafana’s Afcon opponents: Mali

Factbox on Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Mali

Africa Cup of Nations record:

Previous appearances in finals: (12) 1972, 1994, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021

Best performance: Runners up 1972

Drawn in group E with Namibia, South Africa and Tunisia

Coach: Eric Chelle

Born in Ivory Coast and brought up in France, the 46-year-old was an international defender for Mali.

Chelle was a surprise replacement in May 2022 for previous Mali coach Mohamed Magassouba, whose contract was not renewed after they narrowly lost to Tunisia in the 2022 World Cup qualification playoffs.

Chelle’s previous coaching experience was at Martigues and Boulogne in the French lower divisions.

He made five appearances for Mali between 2004 and 2006.

Key player: Yves Bissouma. Age: 27. Midfielder

A regular for Tottenham Hotspur where he is used by manager Ange Postecoglou in a double-pivot midfield set-up.

For Mali, he plays a more attacking role.

Bissouma was born in Ivory Coast but grew up in Mali and was scouted from the local league by French club Lille.

He was signed by Brighton & Hove Albion in 2018 and four years later moved to Spurs in a £30m (R711m) deal.

Bissouma played for Mali at the previous Cup of Nations, where they suffered an embarrassing second round exit at the hands of Equatorial Guinea.

Fifa world ranking December 2023: 51

How they qualified: Top placed team in group G, ahead of Gambia, Congo and South Sudan.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Aboubacar Doumbia (Afrique Football Elite), Djigui Diarra (Young Africans), Ismael Diawara (Malmo)

Defenders: Amadou Dante (Sturm Graz), Moussa Diarra (Toulouse), Mamadou Fofana (Amiens), Boubacar Kiki Kouyate (Montpellier), Sikou Niakate (Sporting Braga), Falaye Sacko (Montpellier), Hamari Traore (Real Sociedad)

Midfielders: Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur), Mohamed Camara (Monaco), Lassana Coulibaly (Salernitana), Aliou Dieng (Al Ahly), Kamory Doumbia (Stade Brest), Amadou Haidara (RB Leipzig), Diadie Samassekou (Hoffenheim), Adama “Noss” Traore (Hull City), Boubacar Traore (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Forwards: Fousseni Diabate (Lausanne Sport), Nene Dorgeles (Salzburg), Serine Doucoure (Lorient), Moussa Doumbia (Al Adala), Sekou Koita (Salzburg), Youssoufa Nikaite (Bani Yas), Lassine Sinayoko (AJ Auxerre), Ibrahima Sissoko (Saint Etienne).